Where There's a Will, There's aWay
by Major Sonic Freak
Summary: 9-year-old Kaylo Nenriki is beginning to liver her own life after an encounter with the legendary pokémon of Lake Valor. With her newly-evolved Luxio at her side, she'll set off to, unkowingly, uncover the mysteries surrounding her parents and her life.
1. Prolouge

Prolouge

_The night sky was aglow with a beautiful swirl of orange, red, and yellow hues on the backdrop of navy blue. The spectacle was partially marred by the plumes of smoke rising from the inferno below. What was once a strong steady home to a peaceful family of three was now crumbling at its very foundation amidst the burning flames._

Only a few steps away from the conflagration, a small brunette lay with her eyes closed, barely moving. She appeared no older then three years old, but most likely closer to two. Her pale skin was smeared with ash and a few minor burns and her position on the ground suggested she had either been thrown from the flaming wreck or had tripped and fallen in an attempt to escape it.

"Hey, look, a kid," a man standing by motioned to his comrade and approached the girl. "Think she's alive?"

His friend came up beside him and kicked the girl's foot with his boot, getting no reaction. "Nah, she's good as dead as it is. She's probably their kid anyway, no harm done. We said we'd destroy everything, and that's what we done."

The small girl stirred, barely able to do more then open her eyes part way. She looked up at the two men standing over her, most of their bodies were in shadow against the glaring light of the flames behind them. "M...mama?" She asked wearily, knowing full well neither of the men were her mother, but was instead asking if they knew where she was.

"Well whadoya know?" the first man said, "she's alive after all."

"M...mama?" the girl asked again, "Daddy?"

"They're gone, and their never coming back!" the other man said in a taunting voice. "That's what they get for refusing us!"

"M...Mama?" It seemed to be all the little girl could muster.

"And the same thing 'll happen to you if you don't learn form this!" the first man said.

"Yea!" his companion jeered. "Know your place, and stay outta the way of the big boys. Don't ever_ think you can stand up ta us! Do _not_ defy the new world order!" He pulled his foot back and kicked the girl in the gut as hard as he could causing her to cry out in pain.  
_  
"MAMAAAAAAAAAA!!" A young girl nearly threw herself out of bed, flinging her covers everywhere from the jolt. She panted heavily, clutching her chest over her heart. She had the same complexion and hair color as the young girl in her nightmare, but was a few years older, about 5.

The small Shinx at the foot of her bed, padded up to her, looking up with a face of confusion and question.

"It's just a dream," the girl told herself. "Just a dream. It was just a dream, Kovou." She petted the Shinx and smiled to convince her pokémon as much as herself that everything was fine.

"Kaylo," a female voice called from another room. "That you? Great timing, breakfast is almost ready."

"Coming, Marta," Kaylo called back as she turned sideways so her feet hung off the bedside and slipped into her slippers.

Kovou hopped off the bed and ran to the door and back in excited circles, eager to start another day.

Kaylo smiled and giggled a bit at the pokémon's antics, a familiar reminder to her that everything was just fine now. She stood up and walked to the door, with Kovou at her heels all the way to the kitchenette connected to the living room. "Hi, Marta," Kaylo sat down at the table.

"Mornin' Kaylo," Marta replied. She was a rather large woman, and wearing a navy blue maid's uniform. Her back was to the table as she was preparing sunny-side up eggs on the stove. "Sleep well?"

"Um, yea," Kaylo lied. "So...uh, how's Auntie Lynda?"

"Oh, fine as eva," Marta said, not looking up from her cooking. "I'm sure she sends her love."

"Did you talk to her?" Kaylo asked.

"Well," Marta paused and put the eggs onto a plate beside a slice of toast, "no, she doesn't talk much to 'the help.'" She turned to set the plate before Kaylo and noticed her downcast look. "But hey, that don't mean she doesn't care about us. She cares plenty, I know it when I git my paycheck!"

Kaylo faked a smile as Marta gave her her plate.

A little smoochum scurried across the floor carrying a bowl full of pokéchow and placed it in front of Kovou. After bowing to Kovou, she ran to catch up with Marta, who was heading towards Kaylo's room.

"Aww, c'mon, don't worry about the bed today," Kaylo said as she noticed Marta walking around the table towards the bedroom door.

"Honey, it's my job," Marta said. "You know well as I do your auntie 'd have my head if I didn't keep this hotel ship shape. And besides, if I left it this way, I'd just go do something else to clean up. I appreciate what you're tryin' ta do, but time's money and I got neither ta waste." And with that, she went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her smoochum.

Kaylo sighed as she finished her breakfast. Kovou stood beside her seat, eating the pokémon food Smoochum had brought him. He looked up when Kaylo rose from her seat, carrying an empty plate to the sink. He abandoned his half-eaten breakfast and stood by her side as Kaylo washed the dish.

"You done, Kovou?" Kaylo asked, noticing the little pokémon beside her. She put the towel she was drying her hands with on the counter as she bent down to pet him. "Then go get your bowl."

Kovou nodded and scampered back to his food bowl. He carefully nudged it with his nose until it had arrived back where he had started from.

"Oh, you didn't finish?" Kaylo asked. "Well, O.K." She picked up the bowl and placed it by the door with Kovou's water dish. "I'm sure you'll wanna finish it later."

"Shinx!" Kovou replied happily and ran for the door.

"Hey wait," Kaylo laughed. "We gotta tell Marta we're leaving."

"Go on ahead," Marta said, coming out of the bedroom. "I'll pass the word along to the others. Where ya gonna be?"

"I think I'll go check out the lake," Kaylo said.

"You wanna take Sweet Pea with you?" Marta asked as smoochum hopped up onto the back of the couch to be level with Marta. "She can get ya out if ya fall in."

"I'm a big girl, I won't fall in," Kaylo said.

"I don know," said Marta. "Until we get you some swimmin' lessons, I don't really feel safe with you goin' down there alone."

"Kovou's coming too," Kaylo said.

"He can't swim neither," Marta said.

"Marta, you need Sweet Pea to help you," Kaylo said. "She's you're assistant. I'll be fine. I promise I won't go up to the shore, alright. I'll stay far enough away that even if I fall, I won't fall in, K?"

"Alright," Marta agreed. "I guess we can't shelter you forever. Just be careful."

"I will," Kaylo promised as she and Kovou stepped out into the beautiful morning.

The sun shone brightly, spreading its warmth over the Valor Lakefront Resort. Night fled to the shadows of the buildings and trees to hide from the sun's glaring rays. A flock of Wingul and a few Peliper glided overhead on the sea breeze coming from the south. As their cawing faded into the distance with their ranks, the faint sounds of the waves beating the shore carried over on the breeze with the smell of salty air. Living this close to the ocean was like a dream, and in a five-star hotel for free no less was almost fanciful, but all things come with a price.

Kaylo looked to her right and saw the colossal building that stood at the edge of the Hotel's property. She imagined her aunt and uncle within it, perhaps just sitting down to their breakfast feast, or preparing to head out on their morning inspection.

The click of the handle snapped Kaylo back to reality. She watched as the door opened and two finely dressed teens emerged from the house, one male, one female. Kaylo's instincts told her to run now, but her childish curiosity insisted she investigate. The conflict resulted in her inability to do anymore then stand there and allow the choice to be made for her.

"Well look who it is," the boy approached her, leading the girl. "Where do you think you're going?"

"T...to the lake," Kaylo answered meekly.

"In search of the rare pokémon, huh?" the girl asked with a mocking tone in her voice. "And what makes you think you're so special?"

"Huh?" Kaylo asked.

"Real pokémon trainers have come here searching for the legendary pokémon of Lake Valor," said the boy, "but none of them could find it. What the heck makes a worthless armature like you think you have the slightest chance of finding it?"

"I may not be a pokémon trainer now, but I will be!" Kaylo snapped in retaliation. "I've already got a pokémon!"

"That?!" both teens laughed at Kovou.

"That's not a pokémon," said the girl, "that's a pet!"

"You'll see!" Kaylo snapped. "One day I'll beat both of you!"

"That'll be the day!" the girl laughed. "Come, Brandon, let's go challenge the oncoming trainers."

"A splendid idea, Brenda," said the boy. And with that, the two left towards the exit of the resort area.

Kovou growled at them as they left, though at his age, it did not sound at all threatening.

"C'mon, let's go," Kaylo sighed as she turned to walk in the opposite direction. Kovou soon obeyed his trainer and followed. The pair walked across the large plot of land owned by the resort, winding between apartment-style buildings each housing about seventy to eighty guests, give or take. Finally they reached the gatehouse at the back end that led to Lake Valor, the resort's main attraction.

"Hey Charles," Kaylo waved to the man at the desk.

"Hello, Kaylo," Charles smiled at the young girl. "Going to the lake today?"

"If that's O.K." Kaylo said.

"Of course it is," said Charles. "As the owner's niece, everything is totally free."

"Anyone out there now?" Kaylo asked.

"Nope, it's been pretty quiet," Charles replied. "I guess a lack of sightings of the lake pokémon has dashed everyone's hopes."

"Is there a lake pokémon?" Kaylo asked.

"That's why this hotel was built," Charles said. "I've never seen anything, though, but people have claimed to have seen something that must be a pokémon, but nobody can identify it."

"Think maybe it's just a goldeen or seeking making a splash?" Kaylo asked.

Charles shook his head. "Too many people have claimed to see something. In addition to that, most of the stories match up, so they're seeing the same thing. Some people even claim that it floats above the lake, and a few have claimed to see it flying over their heads, but it is not a bird, that we know."

"Hmm," Kaylo pondered it, looking down at Kovou, who didn't seem to understand much of this at all. "Well, sounds cool. We'll let you know if we see anything." She waved once more as she headed for the exit.

The trail to the lake outside the door was lined with trees that acted like a natural fence, insuring that anyone who intended to visit the lake had to go through the hotel. It was the best the resort could do, since Lake Valor was public property that could not be fully bought. Some Aipom swung through the trees by their tails, chasing each other across the branches with grace only obtainable by spending one's whole life in the trees. A small cluster of Bidoof sat beside the road, munching on a breakfast of nuts and berries they had found. One kind Bidoof approached the two travelers and offered them each an oran berry, which they gladly accepted.

The lake itself was a sight to behold, the mid-morning sun cast its glow all across the clearing around the lake. Gleams of its light danced on the water's glassy surface, only disturbed by slight ripples that appeared from the breeze. A Goldeen leapt from the water, creating a disruption in the otherwise still lake. Its wavy, flowing fins coupled with the droplets it ejected from the water glittering in the sun's golden rays created such a beautiful display that Kaylo and Kovou could not help but gape in awe at it. Some Starly were perched in the trees, but at the pair's arrival, the took off into the great blue sky, perfectly complimenting the scene. For a moment, the two simply stood there, trying to take in all that lay before them.

"Azu azu azu..." the sing-song voice of a young pokémon attracted their attention. It was small and blue and looked a lot like a little mouse. It had no arms, but bounced around on the ball on the end of its tail which was almost as big as the pokémon itself.

"Wow, look at that," Kaylo said, slowly approaching it so as not to startle the small pokémon. "I've never seen a pokémon like that before. It's so cute."

"Azu?" the little pokémon noticed Kaylo, as she crouched down to its level. It hopped off of its tail and stood there, staring at this new creature invading its home with almost the same awe and wonder that the creature stared back.

Kaylo carefully extended her hand, palm up, to the little pokémon, who at first only looked at it in confusion. Kaylo inched closer, still getting no negative response from the pokémon. Finally, she placed her hand gently on its head and stroked its sleek blue coat. "Awww, it's adorable, Kovou, come look."

The little shinx crept up slowly by its trainer's side and looked curiously at the little pokémon who was now blissfully enjoying the attention and love it was receiving. Taking its state of unawareness as a sign that all was well, Kovou inched ever closer and sniffed the little pokémon.

Feeling Kovou's wet nose upon it's chest, the little pokémon opened its eyes. The look of curiosity fled from them the instant they came into focus and was replaced by sheer terror.

"AZUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!" it cried with all its might, tears gushing from its terrified eyes.

Kaylo, initially startled by this reaction attempted to calm it. "Hay, what's wrong? Calm down! Kovou's not gonna hurt you. What's the matter?"

"AZU!" The word came from behind her this time and the voice was different, not cute and cuddly, but assertive and angry.

Kaylo turned to see a larger pokémon, that she was at perfect eye level with when in the crouched position she was in. This pokémon had a coat of almost the same blue, but with a splash of white at the bottom, as if it had fallen into a puddle of white paint. It was much taller and its body was a complete oval topped with two large blue bunny ears.

"Um...hi there," Kaylo sat back, now nervous. "You must be this little cutie's mama, huh? Um...uh, family resemblance is pretty strong...and um, yea, she's real cute."

The mother pokémon paid no attention to Kaylo's attempts at peace and simply glared threateningly at her.

"Um...well then I'll just be going," Kaylo started to stand up.

The little pokémon appeared to be frightened by this and attempted to run away, but instead ran into Kovou and began to bawl again.

"Azu!" the mother snapped again, enraged by her child's despair. "Maril azumaril!" She continued to shout at Kaylo, and Kaylo understood they were threats, although she could not tell what the pokémon was saying.

Kovou jumped between Kaylo and the enraged pokémon, growling and defending her. Because of his closeness to the baby when he jumped, he accidentally kicked it and caused it to fall over and cry harder, though nobody had thought that possible.

This made the mother fuming mad and in retaliation, sprayed a stream of water at Kovou.

"Shiiiiiiiiinx!" Kovou protested, backing up and staggering under the pressure of the water.

"Kovou look out!" Kaylo exclaimed as she saw her pokémon nearing the water's edge. She hurried to her pokémon's aide, and stood between him and the onslaught of water to prevent him from falling further.

Noticing that the enemy was losing, the baby gained courage to also fight. It too contributed a spray of water, but was unable to shoot it very high and in the end, only ended up spraying the ground. This caused the ground to become muddy and slick, and under the pressure of the mother's water gun, Kaylo slipped and tumbled into the lake.

"Shinx!" Kovou turned to the lake and cried. He was suddenly shot from behind with another stream of water, only this time it was the combined efforts of mother and child. Kovou lost his footing and also fell into the lake.

_Kovou!_ Kaylo thought as she fell to the depths of the lake. It was much deeper then she could have ever imagined from the surface, but really nothing but mud beneath. A school of magikarp swam around them and Kaylo flailed her arms in an attempt to get their attention.

One magikarp stopped and starred at her with its spaced out and oblivious look. "Karp." It said in a voice that even suggested stupidity.

Kaylo continued to flail and pointed to the surface. "Karp," Magikarp said again then swam away. Kaylo shouted as best she could without opening her mouth at the fleeing pokémon. She spotted Kovou also sinking beside her. The poor pokémon had already passed out with his mouth open, allowing precious air bubbles to escape. She grabbed him and held him close.

A bright light suddenly illuminated the dark depths. Kaylo shielded her eyes against its light, but could still see the source was a cave on the lake floor. The two of them were surrounded by a light blue aurora and began to float to the surface. They floated up out of the water and landed on the shore.

"Kovou?" was the first word out of Kaylo's mouth once she'd coughed up most of the water. "Kovou?!" The little pokémon lay still in her arms, faintly breathing. "Kovou, don't give up! Please, Kovou!"

Kovou slightly opened his eyes, his vision was blurred and he hadn't the strength to focus. He could see the faint outline of his trainer, but behind her was a gray blob floating there that he couldn't identify, but the sight of it seemed to give him strength. He suddenly coughed, spraying water in Kaylo's face as he did.

"Oh Kovou, thank God!" Kaylo hugged him. "If I wasn't so happy I'd be mad at you for doing that!"

Kovou smiled between coughs as he struggled to rid his lungs of the water. He looked over Kaylo's shoulder to try and see what had been there, but it was gone. It had been replaced by the source of all their problems.

"AZU!" the bunny-like pokémon towered over them, not at all pleased that they were alright.

"No! Not again!" Kaylo cried. "C'mon, we don't wanna hurt you!"

"Azu!" it snapped. The pokémon inhaled and prepared to squirt them again.

Kaylo and Kovou braced themselves for another onslaught. There came the sound of splashing water, but none of it hit them. Confused, the two looked up and saw a rounded shield of energy holding off the attack. Between them and the shield was a mass of swirling energy that had a distinct figure, seeming to have a head, arms and legs and a tail...or was it three?

The mother pokémon ceased her attack and glared angrily at the energy as if she knew what it was. "Maril azu!"

_No,_ There was a voice that sounded young and male. Kaylo assumed it came from the energy creature before them. _They mean you no harm. Now stand down and let them leave. I promise they won't hurt you.  
_  
"Maril azumaril azu!" the mother said, not sounding at all convinced. Her tone suggested that she was challenging what the creature had just said.

"Shinx shinx shinx!" Kovou piped in, but then backed down a little in fear.

The mother pokémon looked at the creature as if for confirmation of what Kovou had said. The creature appeared to nod, which was proof enough for the other pokémon. "Azu." She led her baby away into the trees around the lake.

Kaylo watched in awe as her savior turned and flew back to the water and floated over the lake. She stood up quickly and moved closer. The creature appeared to wave then faded away. Kaylo and Kovou both starred wide-eyed and open-mouthed, neither knowing what to make of this.

"Kaylo!" Charles's call snapped them back to reality.

"Huh? What?" Kaylo turned around to see Charles emerging from the path.

"Well, I just thought I'd check on you," Charles said. "Since, you know, you can't swim a- you're soaking wet."

"Um...yea," Kaylo said. "I...uh see this water pokémon got mad and squirted us, but...uh, Kovou chased it away."

"Oh, well, c'mon, you should go back to your room and get some dry clothes. It's lunch time anyway," Charles began to leave, leading Kaylo who led Kovou.

Kaylo stopped just before she reached the path. "Someday," she whispered, "I'll get a water pokémon and then I'll go down there and thank you personally."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"Alright," Kaylo touched the brim of her white sun hat and turned it a tad to the right. It wasn't noticeable, since the hat looks the same all the way around. "Now Kovou, use Spark!"

Electricity surrounded the black, yellow and blue lion-like pokémon before her. "Lux!" It cried as it charged at its target, an orange otter-like pokémon with a yellow ring around its neck. When the two made contact, the electricity transferred to the other pokémon and knocked it over.

"O.K. that looks good," Kaylo reached into her yellow duffle bag and pulled out a small pokéball. "Pokéball," She pulled her arm back and pressed the button on the front of the pokéball, making it grow. "GO!" She hurled the pokéball at the weakened pokémon.

The ball hit and opened, drawing the pokémon in with a red laser. The ball landed and shook a few times. Kaylo and Kovou watched anxiously as it shook. Finally it stopped and made a ping sound.

"YES!" Kaylo jumped up, "I caught a buizel!"

"Lux luxio!" Kovou exclaimed.

The excitement of a young trainer's first catch, there is nothing quite like it. Although Kaylo was only nine and only happened upon her victim en route to Pastoria City from her nearby home in the Valor Lakefront resort, the moment was still monumental to her. She may not be recognized as a real trainer because of her age, and has yet to embark on a journey to challenge all the gym leaders and take part in the pokémon league, but it seemed none of that really mattered to her now. She steadily made her way to the pokéball on the ground, trembling with excitement, and picked it up. "Hey little guy," she spoke to the captured pokémon through the transparent red top. The response was minimal, as Buizel only laid there and looked up at her feebly.

"Hey," Kaylo said, "you're still hurt. Don't worry, I'll take you to the pokémon center." She and Kovou ran ahead to Pastoria city which was not too far from their seaside location. It wasn't really an emergency, so once she arrived at the city, Kaylo slowed her pace, waving to a few of the residents she had gotten to know in the past year she had spent trekking over to the city from the resort.

"Well hello, Kaylo," Nurse Joy greeted her with a warm smile. It kind of embarrassed Kaylo that Nurse Joy new her by name since that meant she had come here a lot. "Training not go so well?"

"Oh no, not at all," Kaylo approached the front desk. "I haven't been to the gym today."

"Then to what do I owe this visit?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Ta da!" Kaylo held up Buizel's pokéball proudly, brimming with excitement at this grand accomplishment.

"Well would you look at that," Nurse Joy took the pokéball. "A little Buizel. And by the looks of his condition I'd say you trained Kovou well."

"Thanks," Kaylo said, beaming. "And that's when we hold back for capture."

"Have you shown Wake yet?" Nurse Joy asked as she put Buizel on the healing machine.

"Uh no," Kaylo said, almost sarcastically. "He's hurt because I just caught him, I'm not gonna show off an injured pokémon."

"Well, there's no worrying about that," Nurse Joy turned around with the pokéball in hand. "Your buizel is fully healed. We hope to see you again."

"Nothing personal, Nurse Joy," Kaylo took the pokéball, "but I don't."

Nurse Joy gave her one of her usual warm smiles. "Well, I'm always here for you, and so are any of my sisters wherever you go. And with some good old fashioned rest and relaxation, any pokémon will be good as new."

"Thanks," Kaylo waved one last time as she ran out the automatic glass doors of the center with her first pokémon in tow.

"Alright, little guy, time to say hello!" Kaylo threw the pokéball into the air.

The pokéball popped open and released the little orange pokémon. It stood on all fours, timidly looking up at the other two.

"Hi," Kaylo crouched down to its level. "I'm Kaylo, and this is Kovou."

"B...bui?" Buizel simply stood there meekly.

"And now you're part of our family, K?"

"Bui?" This statement seemed to only confuse the little pokémon.

"You're one of us now," Kaylo extended a hand to Buizel.

Buizel remained still, unsure of what to make of this gesture. Kaylo streached her hand further and scratched Buizel's head. Buizel's back foot started to twitch as if he were trying to scratch himself, but he wasn't. It began to increase in speed as Kaylo continued to scratch, and Buizel closed his eyes. His two tails began to spin faster and faster until they were just a blur behind him.

"Woa," Kaylo stopped scratching Buizel causing him to look up. "You've got, like, a propeller on your butt! Awesome!"

Buizel stopped spinning his tails and looked back at them, confused by how thrilled she was with something so normal for him.

"Hey, you have two tails just like a floatzel," Kaylo exclaimed. "And they really do work like a propeller. Sweet. I'll bet you can swim so fast with those!"

Buizel stood up on his hind legs, rubbing the back of his head with his forepaw out of embarrassment.

"Then that settles it," Kaylo stood up. "You will be known from now on as Tails!"

"Bui!" Tails replied, excitedly.

"Now let's go!" Kaylo ran off through the city and Kovou soon followed. Tails stood there for a minute, wondering just where it was they were going, but eventually got back onto all fours and followed. The group ran through the city streets winding by people coming and going at a leisurely pace. Tails glanced around at the passing people, never having been around so many humans in his life. He was suddenly jolted to a stop as he crashed into the back of Kaylo's legs.

"Aww, gotta watch where you're going there," Kaylo turned around and stroked Tails's slick coat. Once she stopped, allowing Tails to regain consciousness, he stared up at the colossal building that they had all stopped in front of. It was round much like the colosseum and had two rows of windows around the entire structure with a row of orange and yellow panels above the bottom row that matched the roof and a large pokéball above the top row in the front. The building itself was a lavender color with a blue stripe at the base. Two pillars of the same color blue rose up from the ground either side of the glass doors.

"Tails, hurry it up, you slowpoke!" Kaylo waved to him from the doorway, snapping him out of his slight daze. He sprang forward, landing forepaws first, putting a little extra speed in his start, and followed Kaylo into the building.

"Well look who finally showed up," a very large man greeted them as they entered. He wore blue pants with an orange waistband and a white cape tied around his neck that fell over his shoulders.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Crasher Wake," Kaylo said, walking into the Pastoria gym as if she lived there, "but I had a little stop to make, right, Tails." She stood there proudly for a moment, expecting an enthusiastic reply from her pokémon. When she didn't get one, she turned to where he stood. "Tails?"

"Bui..." the water-type's voice was in a hushed awe as he stood on his hind legs looking around at the large open interior and the enormous pool surrounded on either side by more bleachers than a high school football field.

"Tails!" Kaylo snapped, partially annoyed at the pokémon's lack of attention.

Crasher Wake only laughed heartily. "Seems you haven't trained him yet, have you?"

"No," Kaylo smiled nervously. "But that's kinda why I brought him here. Isn't that why I've been coming here for more than a year, to train?"

Crasher Wake laughed again. "Has it really been a year already? It seems like just yesterday that weak little girl and her shinx showed up at my door asking how to be tough!"

"I'm not weak anymore, and Kovou isn't a shinx, if you haven't noticed!" Kaylo said, smiling from ear to ear from her achievements. It didn't take the whole year for her to get to a level where she could at least be proud, and she's only gotten better since.

"Luxio!" Kovou also held his head high in light of his accomplishments and his trainer's praise.

"So true," Crasher Wake said, with a tone of amusement and a chuckle or two as he reminisced about all the failures and successes he'd witnessed. "And now it's Buizel's turn. Hey, Tails, was it?"

"Bui?" Tails turned to Crasher Wake and tilted his head.

"Like it or not, you're gonna get tough, and you'll get tough real fast. I'm a master of water-type pokémon." Crasher Wake took out a pokéball. "So, meet your training partner."

He threw the pokéball into the air making it release a white light. As it began to take shape, Tails gasped in awe, for it was much bigger than he was. The glow broke away in tiny glittering sparkles, leaving there another orange pokémon that looked quite a lot like him. It had the same yellow raft, but instead of going around its neck, it wrapped around its arms and back above its two tails.

"Hey Floatzel," Kaylo greeted the pokémon. "This is Tails, I just caught him today."

"Float," Floatzel folded its arms and looked down at Tails.

"B…bui," Tails stared up meekly.

"Well, now that you're acquainted," said Crasher Wake, "we've got training to do. First on the agenda is your moves. What does he know?"

"Uh…I don't know," Kaylo said, nervously. "I just got him."

"Well, then, let's find out now!" Crasher Wake said. "Tails, show us your stuff!"

"Bui!" Tails saluted. He breathed in deeply and held it for a minute before shooting out a stream of water from his mouth.

"Water gun," Crasher Wake observed. "Very basic water move, but perfect for a newbie."

"But I'm not a newbie!" Kaylo insisted.

Crasher Wake laughed and placed his massive hand on Kaylo's head and twisted her hat to and fro, forcing the brim over her eyes. "You're still at the rookie level. And don't forget, Tails _is_ a newbie."

Kaylo grabbed the brim of her hat and pulled it up to allow her to see. "Humph," she snorted as she turned her hat to fit on her head the way she wanted.

"What else you got?" Crasher Wake asked Tails.

Tails leaned back a little, then, with a powerful shove of his hind legs, he thrust himself into a bounding leap forward. A white glow trailed behind him in an arch, still following as his forepaws hit the ground and propelled him forward in a rapid dash.

"Quick attack," Crasher Wake nodded his approval as Tails began to do loops. "A good move to practice strategy since it can be used in a few ways."

"Really?" Kaylo asked. "Cool."

"Next," said Crasher Wake.

Tails didn't slow down for a moment, he leapt straight up from the center of his circular path, twisting his body as the glow of Quick attack faded away. His two tails began to glow with a golden yellow hue as he turned. Upon reaching the top of his leap, Tails flicked his tails upward, pulling himself into a flip. As he flicked his tail, golden stars shot from it, creating a sort of pinwheel of stars shooting out in all directions.

"Swift," Crasher Wake said, hardly phased by the display.

Kaylo, on the other hand, stared in awe, mouth agape. "Wow!" was the only word that escaped her lips as she stood, dumbfounded.

Tails continued to flip, although he stopped the attack. He came hurtling towards Floatzel, and landed firmly in front of the larger pokémon. "Bui!" He stood confidently with his hands on his hips.

Floatzel only stared at him, it's arms folded. Then it smiled, and roughly rubbed the top of Tails's head.

"A little showy," Crasher Wake remarked, "but that won't harm his fighting."

"I…is that…?" Kaylo struggled to find words, "did he…? Were….? Was that….? Huh?! Were you watching the same thing as me?!"

"It was nice, don't get me wrong," said Crasher Wake, "but not what we're here for. It's important to not get distracted so easily. If your opponent pulls something like that, it's probably to distract you and therefore, break through your defenses."

"But I could do the same thing to them, right?" Kaylo asked.

"Don't get too caught up in it," Crasher Wake warned. "It might work, but if you're trying too hard to dazzle 'em, you'll lose sight of the battle."

"Got it!" Kaylo nodded affirmatively.

Crasher Wake nodded and smiled proudly. He'd grown pretty attached to her in the year she'd visited him for training. Knowing what he did about her home life, he took it upon himself to act more or less in place of a father figure for her. "Well now, got anything else?"

"Bui!" Tails said, excitedly. He got back down on all fours and ran a little ways away from Floatzel. He began to scratch and kick against the floor, creating a spray of mud.

"Mud shot," said Crasher Wake, "or is it mud bomb? It could even be mud slap."

"You don't know?" Kaylo asked, surprised that there was something her mentor did not know.

"My Floatzel never learned…whatever it was Tails just did," Crasher Wake admitted.

"It was mud slap," said a dirty-blonde man with glasses as he approached them from the back room of the gym.

"How can you tell?" Kaylo asked.

"I'm the ref, I have to know these things," said the man. "Mud shot is more concentrated into a single blast and mud _bomb_ is composed of multiple blobs of mud shot at the opponent and usually originate from the mouth."

"Eww, gross!" Kaylo said, partially amused.

"Either way, it's a ground-type move," said Crasher Wake. "That will come in handy against those pesky electric-types."

"Lux," Kovou growled.

"Hey, nothing' wrong with 'em," said Crasher Wake. "But for a water-type master like me, they can get quite annoying. So, anyway, now on to some _real_ training."


End file.
